‘These honored dead’ - In war, they gave the ‘last full measure of devotion’
This week we take time to note, with gratitude and sorrow, those with Ozark County ties whose lives ended while they were serving in the military during wartime. They are the men whose names are engraved on the Ozark County War Memorial on the courthouse lawn – as well as others whose names have surfaced since the memorial was erected in 1991. Shown at the top of this page are the only known photos of some of the men named here.
As another Memorial Day approaches, we recall the words of Abraham Lincoln as he spoke at the Gettysburg battlefield cemetery on Nov. 19, 1863: “From these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolved that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
World War I: William H. Anderson, Rosco Beard, Lawrence Cates, James A. Duckworth, Charley Egan, William E. Freeman, Gillmore Gillette, Ethmer Green, Virgil Y. Mahan, Hansen Mahan, Thurlow Mullins, LeRoy Peacock, Claude Riggs, Frank Riggs, John W. Wright.
World War II: Klair W. Baker, Rolla R. Bowen, Chester R. Bowler, Arnold J. Boyle, George R. Deatherage, John L. Freeman, Eugene Gaddy, Marlyn C. Herd, Clinton E. Heriford, Barney R. Hicks, Leffel C. Hicks, Elza Hillhouse, Clifford M. Howard, Gordon W. Howard, Kenneth G. Hunter, Guy H. Johnston, Herbert H. Lee, Audie R. Luna, Vernon D. Martin, Harvey T. Noon, Chester R. North, Orvind R. Perry, Millard E. Pierce, Stanford Pruitt, Luther P. Smart, William A. Smith, Rayferd M. Wallace, Ralph J. Wright, Jay Yates Jr.
Vietnam: Jerry M. Corp, Gail L. Davis, Doyle L. Harris, John E. Ray, Robert N. Ireland.
Iraq-Afghanistan: Matthew England.